Portable light

Abstract

A portable light having a light head with a plurality of light elements and a rotatable diffuser to selectively diffuse the light produced by the light elements. The diffuser is operable by an actuator. The actuator further includes a switch for controlling the dimming level of the light elements. A separate switch controls whether the light is “on” or “off”.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable light, comprising:
 a housing having a compartment for receiving a battery; 
 a light head comprising:
 a light element; 
 a heat sink; and 
 a connector for connecting the light head with the housing, 
 wherein the heat sink comprises:
 a plurality of spaced apart fins for transferring heat from the heat sink, wherein each fin has a first side and a second side; 
 a generally planar base attached to a plurality of the fins along the first side of each fin; and 
 a bridge spanning two of the fins and interconnecting the two fins to provide a mounting surface along the second side of the two fins, wherein the connector is connected to the mounting surface bridging the two fins. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The portable light of  claim 1  wherein the connector is pivotable relative to the light head or the housing so that the heat sink is pivotable relative to the housing. 
     
     
       3. The portable light of  claim 2  wherein a plurality of heat sink fins are spaced apart from the bridges. 
     
     
       4. The portable light of  claim 3  wherein the plurality of heat sink fins spaced apart from the bridges have a width that is substantially narrower than the fins connected by the bridges. 
     
     
       5. The portable light of  claim 1  wherein the fins have a width and a length that is substantially longer than the width, wherein the bridge interconnects the two fins along a substantial portion of the length of the fins. 
     
     
       6. A portable light, comprising:
 a housing having a compartment for receiving a battery; 
 a first connector connected with the housing; 
 a light head comprising:
 a light element; 
 a heat sink; and 
 a second connector for pivotably connecting the light head with the first connector, 
 wherein the heat sink comprises:
 a plurality of spaced apart longitudinally elongated fins for transferring heat from the heat sink, wherein each fin has a longitudinally elongated outer edge, wherein a gap is formed between a first of the elongated fins and a second of the elongated fins; and 
 a bridge spanning the gap between the first fin and the second fin, wherein the bridge interconnect the longitudinally elongated outer edge of the first fin with the longitudinally elongated outer edge of the second fin to provide a mounting surface, wherein the second connector is connected to the mounting surface bridging the two fins. 
 
 
 
     
     
       7. The light of  claim 6  wherein the bridge extends along a majority of the elongated length of the first and second fin. 
     
     
       8. The light of  claim 6  wherein the heat sink comprises a second gap formed between a third of the elongated fins and a fourth of the elongated fins and a second bridge spans the second gap between the third and fourth fins, the second bridge interconnects the third and fourth fins, wherein the second connector is connected to the second bridge. 
     
     
       9. The light of  claim 6  wherein the bridge forms a generally planar surface. 
     
     
       10. The light of  claim 6  wherein each of the fins has an inner edge connected to a body of the heat sink, wherein the outer edge of each fin is remote from the inner edge of each fin. 
     
     
       11. The light of  claim 6  wherein the bridge directly connects the outer edge of the first fin with the outer edge of the second fin. 
     
     
       12. The light of  claim 6  wherein the second connector is directly connected to the bridge.